Rubies and Rumors

Chapter Eighty

     The boys didn't get a chance run the kites. Junseo's trader friends found a caravan the group could join for the trip along the toll road. General Tan expedited their paperwork and they were underway by noon. Half a dozen guards from the summer palace were waiting for them at the first toll gate.

"We are here to protect the witnesses," their captain explained but San Jin's guards did not relax their own watch.

Junseo tried to apologize for inadvertently added this burden. "I shouldn't have lost my temper with the Protocol Officer," he admitted.

"You are right but there is a pretty good chance Uncle Tan would have added a protective detail without as solid an excuse. He isn't happy with me gallivanting around the countryside." San Jin's impression of the general was spot on and all of the guards chuckled.

The size of the party made for a bit slower going so they camped instead of using the regular waystations. Junseo kept a close watch on In-Yeon. This included serving the dreadful liquid his father had prescribed. Having been the victim of a similar concoction in his younger years he knew the best chaser was strong mint tea. "I know its bad," he apologized.

"Why make a medicine so foul?" In-Yeon sighed.

"I thought it was to make my heart skip a beat so it would pick up a new rhythm." Junseo said before explaining his own slow recovery from a viral infection that had attacked his heart.

In-Yeon's eye widened at this revelation, "But it helped you get better?"

"I think so. I also think getting my first crystals grounded helped. Do you think you are up for some meditation?" Junseo asked before starting in on a full element cycle. Since they were in the forest, he called to earth, water, and wood, for making and growing.

Two of San Jin's guards joined the ritual while the other stood watch. When they were finished, he pointed to a doe with a small fawn who came to drink at the gurgling brook. The leaves around them rustled and the deer sprang away. The guard called, "Shields," and the men from the palace scrambled to get into position as arrows thumped into the ground near the boys.

San Jin lifted his arms above his head while he drew a semi-circle with the toe of his boot. Junseo crossed his arms and dragged his toe in the opposite direction. Together they raised a large twister they directed toward the trees where the enemy were hidden.

In-Yeon felt the strong pull of the winds so knelt down to fashion an anchor. He concentrated on keeping the water in the brook from rising to form an unstoppable spout. He could see the older boys struggling to unwind their creation so reached over and grabbed San Jin's hand. San Jin then linked arms with Junseo and they both sat down. The twister blew itself apart but it left a clear path of destruction from the campsite to the top of the nearest hill. The palace guards chased through the woods but came back empty-handed.

"What was that?" One of San Jin's guards frowned at the boys.

"Damned dangerous, whatever it was," the captain from the summer palace said as he stalked over their group.

"I didn't realize how big it would be when we combined our energies," Junseo said in a small voice.

"Good thing In-Yeon is so well rooted," San Jin said with a crooked smile pointing to how the boy's legs were now buried in the forest loam.

"I didn't expect thieves on the toll road. What have regular patrols been doing?" Scout Jia asked.

The focus of the discussion turned away from the boys to the attack itself. The head of the caravan was extremely upset claiming in all the years he used the King's road he never once met a robber. "Seems like the more protection you have, the more you seem to need it. Surely makes you wonder," he grumbled and looked for support from his wagon master.

"Never seen teenagers who needed quite so many guards. Aren't the accords supposed to protect our children.?" The wagon master looked Scout Jia straight in the eye.

"You are right. Guards should not be necessary for the boys yet here we are after having faced another attack. One that came on the heels of a very suspicious set of explosions." Scout Jia frowned as he watched the boys struggling to stand and straighten out their cloths.

"So just who are they? Must belong to some sort of high-lord." The wagon master spit on the ground at near Scout Jia's feet. San Jin's personal guards bristled but he signaled for them to relax.

"One of us had the misfortune of being held captive in the castle and saw things the Governor would not want known," San Jin offered. He would have said more but both Scout Jia and Junseo were shaking their heads.

"I'm sure there is plenty that man and his crazy wife wouldn't want known," the head of the caravan said.

"Being in their bad books puts you in our good ones," the wagon master said with a nod. He looked over at his boss and added, "Still it might be wise for us to double the watch and break camp early."

"Fair enough. Just let me know how much rest we should give the horses," the man replied then passed the orders along.

The captain of the palace guards talked quietly with Scout Jia for a few minutes before coming to talk with the boys. "Your agent says you used crystal energy for your conjuring so there is no reason for me to be worried. I just want to warn you if a wind-singer saw your working, they would have you locked up in no time. You need to be extra careful when we get to port. Do you understand?" The soldier looked at each boy in turn. "Good. Now try to get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."